To some it’s just a pig sty — but to seven lucky hogs, the 10 acre woodland near Bagden Hall in Scissett is a sanctuary that saved their bacon.

Established two years ago by animal lovers Jac and Russell Haggata, Savvi, Beth, Jen, Tom Tom, Betty, Daisy and Rath can now consider it their permanent home thanks to a successful battle against Kirklees Council.

Jac, 51, said: “They served us with an enforcement notice due to a shelter we built to house the pigs and complaints that the pigs had been destroying bluebells in the wood.

“We bought the land at auction because the field we had previously kept them in was too exposed for them and we didn’t realise that we needed planning permission as the shelter was only a temporary structure.

“We launched a petition that gained support from hundreds of people from across the world and won at a hearing in Bristol six months ago.”

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“Obviously, due to these reasons and our growing awareness of healthy living, I think it’s best we don’t eat them.

“There are plenty of alternatives to meat out there.”

The herd is evidently right at home in the enclosed but large area, that lies on a hill and includes a mix of glades and heavily wooded and shrubbed sections to keep them constantly entertained.

Jac hopes that she will be able to help more pigs in need.

“People ring us all the time to ask us to take on a pig – I get called the pig lady by my friends”, she said.

Pigs in the woods, near Scissett, get to stay as permanent residents.

“An animal sanctuary called Thornberry directs people onto us because they aren’t able to take on any more

“We’re planning to take on more pigs once we have created another shelter and made the area more secure

“People seem to have good intentions when they get one but they don’t realise the amount of time and effort involved in looking after it.

“The previous owners of Savvi was also led to believe that they were buying a micro pig but he got too big.

“He’s 10-months-old now and is still growing.

“He lives with us at the moment because he had an illness that almost killed him but we don’t want him or any of the others to become domesticated. We hope to partner him with a cooney cooney pig we also have and put him back outside– they’re not indoor animals, they will wreck your house.”

Jac is also focusing on obtaining charity status for the sanctuary and encouraging more volunteers.